Reptile & Amphibian Forums

A buddy of mine gave me a yearling ball python a couple weeks ago. I have it quarantined in a different room. A few days ago I noticed that he had pooped a little green nugget out. None of my other snakes have ever done this and I just wondered if anyone else has seen this and if it is normal? I was told by one source that the snake just has too much iron in its system. Is that true? Apparently that's how it works for humans but I don't know for snakes! Any insight is appreciated!! Thanks!! Andy Paulison.

my snake has done that too

good question
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CKA

1.0.0 ball python> sphyke

not fecals it's urates......

green and greenish blues happen alot here too....

not sure why?

maybe from the copper pipes the water runs through?....

it's from chemicals.......

mine do fine...don't worry about it......they come and go....

try bottled water if you have bad water???

I have a well.......should be high in iron and calcium....not sure about the greens either........
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...a snake has 1) bacterial gastroenteritis (gut infection); 2) no active infection but is or has been recently stressed; 3) bile mal-reabsorption (bile is secreted but no food is eaten so bile passes through and stains urates/stools; 3) systemic infection, with bacterial/immune "complexes" excreted in urine...

...first thing to do is check/set-up proper conditions: hot spot 95F... cool end:day 84-86, night 82-84...humidity around 60%...hide spot at warm end...fresh water in easily accessible/spill-proof bowl...CLEAN paper substrate that is easy to change (I use paper towels or unprinted newsprint)...

...then, after a few days offer a SMALL meal, do not try to set any records here...a small meal is critical...whatever it prefers, live,f/k,f/t, whatever...make it small...if it eats, great...wait 3-5 days and do it again, same small meal...if it doesn't eat, THEN it's time to seek vet attention...

Good luck!

Scott J. Michaels DVM
Serpent City

PS pic...BP's, like other pythons, often will lay on their backs to get comfortable...this is not an indication of IBD or anything pathologic, but it's sure alarming the first few times you see it!

very interesting post! Thanks for replying... I've seen this in a few snakes before, but they are all doing fine.. eating, growing, defecating, etc... however, I have noticed that I've seen these greenish urates when snakes haven't eaten in a long time (common in Ball Pythons right? hehe)... in this case, what I have seen would relate to #3 -> bile just passed through because it did not have any food to digest or something??

Thanks,
Bristen.

>>...a snake has 1) bacterial gastroenteritis (gut infection); 2) no active infection but is or has been recently stressed; 3) bile mal-reabsorption (bile is secreted but no food is eaten so bile passes through and stains urates/stools; 3) systemic infection, with bacterial/immune "complexes" excreted in urine...
>>
>>...first thing to do is check/set-up proper conditions: hot spot 95F... cool end:day 84-86, night 82-84...humidity around 60%...hide spot at warm end...fresh water in easily accessible/spill-proof bowl...CLEAN paper substrate that is easy to change (I use paper towels or unprinted newsprint)...
>>
>>...then, after a few days offer a SMALL meal, do not try to set any records here...a small meal is critical...whatever it prefers, live,f/k,f/t, whatever...make it small...if it eats, great...wait 3-5 days and do it again, same small meal...if it doesn't eat, THEN it's time to seek vet attention...
>>
>>Good luck!
>>
>>Scott J. Michaels DVM
>>Serpent City
>>
>>PS pic...BP's, like other pythons, often will lay on their backs to get comfortable...this is not an indication of IBD or anything pathologic, but it's sure alarming the first few times you see it!
>>

I have him set up correctly and he has not refused food. He has eaten 3 rat pups since I have had him and shed once with no problems. The green just worried me. I guess now I keep him quarantined for a couple more months and see what happens! Thanks again for the informative replies!! Andy